The New York Jets are signing right tackle Morgan Moses to a one-year deal, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
Moses, 30, released by the Washington Football Team on May 20 in a salary-cap move, will compete with incumbent George Fant at right tackle.
Not only do the Jets get a proven starter in Moses, but it increases their depth and flexibility. If Fant loses out to Moses, which is the likely scenario, he can be the backup/swing tackle.
This is another aggressive move by general manager Joe Douglas, who made it a priority to rebuild one of the league’s worst offensive lines.
Douglas used his 2020 first-round pick on left tackle Mekhi Becton, and he followed up by using a 2021 first-round choice on Alijah Vera-Tucker, who projects as the team’s starting left guard. The Jets liked Vera-Tucker so much that they traded up nine spots to take him.
The Jets had planned on riding with Fant — $4.45 million of his $8.5 million salary is guaranteed — but they changed course when Moses became available. They hosted him on a free-agent visit.
“Morgan is a fantastic player. He’s played at a very high level,” coach Robert Saleh said recently. “We’re not going to shy away from adding good football players.”
Tackle depth is important. Becton, battling plantar fasciitis, missed most of the offseason program. He was hurt in the first practice and remained on the sideline. Saleh downplayed the injury, saying he’s “not worried about his availability” for training camp.
Still, there are concerns about Becton’s weight and durability, as he missed the equivalent of five games last season due to various injuries. When healthy, he was dominant at times.
Moses (6-foot-6, 330) is one of the most durable lineman in the league. He has started every game since 2015, all but one at right tackle.
In 2020, he ranked 39th out of 62 qualifying tackles in pass block win rate, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Fant was 40th in the rankings.
The Washington Football Team cut Moses with two years remaining on his contract. He was due to make $7.75 million in 2021. Moses, a third-round pick out of Virginia in 2014, has played 104 games, including 97 starts.
The Washington Post first reported Moses signing with the Jets.